JSI Tip 4266. An Administrator can't unlock a locked computer?

When you try to unlock the logged computer, you are greeted with:

This computer is in use and has been locked.Only or an administrator can unlock this computer.Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to unlock this computer.

When you try to unlock it, you receive:

This computer is locked. Only or an administrator can unlock this computer.

If you receive:

This computer is in use and has been locked.Only  or an administrator can unlock this computer.Press Ctrl + Alt + Del to unlock this computer.

When you try to unlock it, you receive:

This computer is locked. Only  or an administrator can unlock this computer.

This can happen if:

1. The default screen saver is set to a non-existent screen saver.

2. A password protected corrupted screen saver is configured.

If you have network connectivity to this computer:

1. Use Regedt32 to connect to the problem computer.

2. Navigate to HKEY_USERS.DefaultControl PanelDesktop.

3. Double-click Scrnsave.exe and change the data value to another screen saver, such as Logon.scr.

4. Double-click ScreenSaverIsSecure and set the data value to 0.

5. Double-click ScreenSaveTimeOut and set the data value to 900, using the Decimal radix.

6. If you know the password of , log on as that user.

7. If you don't know the password or you don't know which user locked the computer, use PsShutdown to shutdown the locked computer. When the shutdown timer expires, the Welcome to Windows dialog box should be displayed. Log on before thescreen saver activates.

8. If you can't perform these steps, let the computer become quiescent and power cycle the box. Log on before the screen saver activates.